On recommendation of National Human Rights Commission, Union Home Ministry has provided Rs eight lakh as monetary relief to four members of a family, who became victims of alleged atrocities committed by BSF personnel in South Tripura.
According to an NHRC statement today, it recommended monetary relief after the police inquiry report, in response to its notices, confirmed the allegations that the three Constables of BSF were prima facie guilty of attempting to rape a girl, killing her father and injuring her two brothers, who came to rescue her.
The incident took place near Border Out Post, Amzadnagar in South Tripura on November 29, 2010.
Also Read
Out of the total amount of Rs eight lakh, Rs five lakh were paid to the next of kin of the deceased father, Rs two lakh to the girl and Rs 50,000 each to her two brothers.
"As per reports, a BSF Constable tried to drag a girl towards the jungle after gagging her mouth with wrong intentions on November 29, 2010. However, the girl managed to release her mouth and shouted for help. Her elder brother came to help her but the Constable hit him with a stick on his head.
"Hearing the sound of commotion, father of the girl along with his younger son and other villagers rushed to the spot. Meanwhile, the Constable had called his colleagues for help and one of them fired from his service weapon, killing the father and injuring his younger son," the statement said.
Earlier, the Commission, based on the replies of the concerned authorities, had observed that the Staff Court of Inquiry held by the BSF had absolved its three personnel involved in the criminal offence.
It also noted that this was almost invariably the case with the BSF's Court of Inquiry, staffed by junior officers, whose primary concern seemed to be to protect their colleagues rather than to uphold the Law.
"However, neither the Government of India responded to the Commission's show cause notice, nor forwarded the report of the Staff Court of Inquiry to it to find out the truth behind the exoneration of BSF personnel by the Staff Court of Inquiry," the statement said.
Therefore, the Commission presumed that the Government of India had nothing to say in the matter and recommended payment of monetary relief to the victims.
